Last



Patented Mar. 10, 193i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RICHARD B. MCCARTHY, F SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ATTLAST COMPANY, INC., OF BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETTS, A CORPORATION LAST Application led January 10, 1930. Serial No. 419,967.

The invention relates to a novel form 'of last having for its principal object to substantially overcome or avoid bridgin of the fabric at the inner portion of the s ank of Athe upper, when the insole and the upper are lasted on the last,to which end the invention comprises providing the bottom face of the last at the inner side of the shank with a longitudinal depression bounded on its outer 104 edge by a shoulder having a height substantially equal to the thickness of an insole to be lasted on the last, in which recess the inner portion of the shank of the insole is depressed to bring the outer face of the insole shank area substantially ush with the adjacent lateral shank portion of the last and the inner edge of theinsole at the shank abut;

y ting said shoulder; whereby the inner portion of the shank 0f the upper will be applied in the lasting operation to the substantially unbroken `surface formed partly by the insole 'and partly by the last.

The invention is illustrated in the accom- .panying drawings, in which 25. Fig. 1 is a bottom view of the improved last.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view ,showing the application of the insole and the upper applied thereto.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the bottom of the last generally B the inner lateral face of the shank, and the bottom of the shank. Formed on the inner side of the bottom of the shank is a longitudinal depression D bounded at its outer edge by a shoulder E locatedat and constituting or conforming to the inner mar in of the bottom of the shank, and adapte to be engaged.

by theiinner edge of the shank of an insole to be lasted on the last, the depth of the depression D at the shoulder being substantially equal to the thickness of the insgle, the inner. portion of the depression nier 'ng into the bottom face of the last, the re ation of the depression and the shoulder being such that, when `the 'insole is applied to the last, the innershank area of the insole will fitm 5 the recess and be supported by the bottom4 thereof, the edge of the insole will abut the shoulder and the outer surface of the shank of the insole will be substantially flush with the adjacent lateral shank surface of the last, so that, when an upper is to be attached to the insole applied to the last, the inner shank portion of the upper will engage the substantially unbroken surface formed artly by the shank surface of the insole and t e lateral shank surface of the last and the bridging of the inner portion of the shank of the upper in the lasting operation is substantially overcome, with! the result that the fabric of the inner shank portion of the upper can be laid smoothly and evenly without stretching or straining the fabric; whereby a shoe that is materially increased in strength at the inner portion of the shank, which conforms strictly to the last at the inner portion of the shank and, therefore, to the foot, can be made with a material saving of labor and expense.

In addition to the primary function of the longitudinal de ression and bounding shoulder, in the relatlon defined, for the purpose of substantially overcoming the bridging of the inner portion of the shank of the upper in the lasting operation, the depression and the shoulder, aforesaid, operate to define the position of the insole on the last and to prevent displacement of the insole with respect to the last when the inner edge of the shank of the insole has been engaged with the shoulder, which latter, as stated, substantially conforms in curvature and in height to the inner edge of the shank of the insole.

What I claim is:

1. A last having on its bottom face at the inner side of the shank a shoulder having a height substantially equal to the thickness of the inner margin of an insole to be lasted on the last.

2. A last having on its bottom face at the inner side of the shank a longitudinal depression bounded on its outer edge by a shoulder having a`height substantially 'equal to the thickness of an insole to be lasted on the last. 3. A last having on its bottom face at the inner side of the shank a longitudinal depression bounded on its outer edge by a shoulder having a height substantially equal to the thickness of an insole to be lasted on the last, the inner portion of said depression merging into the bottom face of the last.

4. A last having at the inner side of the bottom of its shank a longitudinal depression bounded at its outer edge by a shoulder of sufficient height to substantially overcome bridging and located at and constituting the inner margin of the bottom of the shank and adapted to be engaged by the inner edge of the shank of an insole to be lasted on the last.

In testimony whereof affix my signature.

RICHARD B. MCCARTHY. 

